The
inspiration behind both the Lu-Mi viols and violin family
instruments is Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, a Finnish gamba
player with an international reputation. He studied viola da gamba with
Wieland Kuijken and Baroque cello with Jaap ter Linden at the Royal
Conservatory of The Hague, and received postgraduate diplomas in both
instruments.

This range of Lu-Mi
instruments is therefore performer-inspired and the degree to which
Markku has taken both his research and the later development of the
series is exemplary and humbling. He has trained established
violin-makers in the art of gamba-making. He has provided prototypes and
drawings and has worked alongside the craftsmen. More importantly,
he accepts nothing but excellence and is constantly striving for
improvements in both sound, aesthetics and ergonomics. These are, above
all, instruments designed by a player of considerable distinction for
discerning and competent players. The results speak for themselves. They
are head and shoulders above anything else commercially available and
represent an extraordinarily good value for the money. It is not too
bold an assertion to say that they are probably worth twice their asking
price. We consider ourselves fortunate to have regular access to them.

Violins:

Amati violins nowadays often are considered not loud enough for
modern concert hall purposes, but the tone is especially fine and sweet
for baroque music performances. Excellent for chamber music and small orchestra
repertoire.

Stainer violins used to be as highly or even more highly valued
than the violins by Cremonese luthiers. However it doesn't necessarily
play so well as a modern violin. The high arching of Stainer gives a lot
of overtones and such it is ideal for baroque music. A bright
instrument.

Stradivarius needs no introduction.
This is the archetype of a violin. The tone is strong and silvery.
Perhaps the best of all the models for chamber or
orchestral sound--clear, good projection, rich and not breathy.

Guarnerius was looking to the future of violin playing and his
instruments are considered often the best for modern purposes. They also
play well as a Baroque instrument, if you are looking for a strong tone
and especially rich sound of the g string. Good for solos.

Violas: The small da Salo model is among
the best small viola models ever made, and works well as a modern or
Baroque version.

Cellos:

The Stradivarius
model gives a bright sound and is narrower and easier to hold
between legs.

The Montagnana
model gives darker sound and is wider and perhaps more difficult to
hold for small players.

The Servais
Stradivarius model is a very large cello often used in 17th
Century repertoire. It is not as good for solos as the smaller
models, since it is so large. However, it is ideal for
orchestras, basso continuo and low Bb flat tuning (a whole step
lower).

The nature of Amati cello is to play solos, Bach's 5th,
Bach's Cantatas, violin solos octave transposed, etc. The
sonority is not solid enough for continuo bass lines, but the
instrument is easy for amateurs to play.

I wanted to write to
tell you how much I am loving my (5-string Amati) cello. The
balance between the deep, rich lower strings and the silvery top D/E
string are perfect. And it’s just getting better and better the longer
I have it. I LOVE it!!! Thank you again!

***I finally received one of these
large-bodied Servais Strads. It has a wonderfully full, rich sound
that just sings. This cello would also work very well as a bass
violin or strung with all gut. If you can handle the large body
(the lower bout is wider), you will have yourself a very fine
instrument!

These instruments are made in the
Charlie Ogle Workshop in Beijing. They are set up and adjusted by
Charlie Ogle. All instruments are set up and ready to play.
Padded cloth cases are included unless otherwise indicated. All
instruments have hand carved spruce tops. Backs and sides are
maple.

Chris English is a Port Townsend, WA highly
skilled bowmaker. His bows are finely crafted using the highest quality
materials, personally chosen from such places as Brazil, Spain and France.
His acquisition and study of materials to learn their characteristics, his
interaction with musicians, and his study of bows in collections and museums are
all integral factors in his personalized and successful approach to bow making.
His bows are highly regarded in the viola da gamba community.

When you are not playing
your instrument, keep it in its closed and latched case.

In the winter, use a
humidifier.

Don’t cook it.

Don’t freeze it.

Keep it clean.

Don’t drop it; hold it
by the neck only.

Use the shoulder rest
properly.

Keep the bridge
straight.

Lube the pegs.

Take care of the bow.
Loosen the hair when you are not playing and have it rehaired
once a year.

Only allow qualified
technicians work on your instrument.

Best Care
Practices

When not in use the instrument should be kept in
its closed and latched case—and this means during rehearsal
breaks too! If small children have
access to the case it should be locked; however no lock will
keep a determined thief or vandal from opening your case. If the
case cover has a zipper, remember to unzip it all the
way—otherwise the zipper will fail prematurely.

Extremes of temperature or humidity are not good
for instruments. Rapid changes in humidity can cause open seams,
cracks in the finish, and cracks in the wood itself. During
dry humidity periods a tubular instrument humidifier should be
used. Please refer to instructions for its use, at right.
Excessive humidity is also a problem, but it is more difficult
to control—keep your instrument out of the basement in
the summer.

Never leave your instrument in a hot car or you
will get a big surprise! The
temperature inside a car directly in sunlight can exceed 150° F.
This is also why you should never store any musical instrument
in the attic. The varnish can be damaged and instruments
assembled with improper glue can literally melt apart.
Conversely, a cold violin can be problematic as well. If your
instrument gets below 40° F, allow it to warm up gradually in
its case before you remove it. If an instrument warms up too
fast the result is similar to the above humidity problems.

Always wipe the rosin off of your instrument
after you have finished playing.
Accumulated rosin can damage the finish. Use a soft 100% cotton
cloth like an old non-terry dishtowel or part of an old
sweatshirt. If rosin cannot be removed, take your instrument to
a qualified repair person where the rosin will be chemically
removed. I no longer will sell or give formulas for violin
cleaner because cleaners that actually work can often cause
problems in inexperienced hands. If your instrument looks dull
or covered with fingerprints you may use a commercial violin
polish; however, be aware that these products contain wax and
many of them do not dry thoroughly. Always apply sparingly and
remove as much polish as possible with a soft cotton cloth. If
the finish prints easily, then there is still too much polish on
the surface.

Hold your instrument by the neck only.
If you have a fine instrument the acids and oils in your
perspiration can quickly wear away the varnish. Touch the top as
little as possible. If you use a shoulder rest (most players use
one today) be sure to attach it and remove it safely, placing
the body of the violin against your torso and holding the neck
in your left hand. Attach the rest with your right hand. That
way no one can knock the violin out of your hand in the typical
frenzy of a rehearsal. If the shoulder rest has latex covered
feet, replace the latex when it becomes cracked and dry.

Be sure to keep your bridge straight.
The best bridge will warp if it is not maintained. Your teacher
or repair person will show you how to do this.

If your pegs stick during high humidity and you
cannot move them do not force them or attack them with pliers!
You could crack or break off the peg box. Take the instrument to
your repair person, as he or she knows how to loosen them
safely. Use lava soap or commercial peg dope to lubricate sticky
pegs.

Always loosen your bow hair when you are finished
playing. Be aware that humidity has an
effect on the length of the hair. Sometimes during the dry
season you will not be able to loosen the hair all the way. If
it is a little too tight do not worry, but if the hair is tight
enough to play, take it to a repair person and have the bow
rehaired. When not actually playingalways hold your
bow at the frog with the tip pointing up; do not use it as a
pointer, a cane, or a sword; and certainly do not bang it on a
music stand to applaud a soloist! Also, do not over rosin. If
you had enough rosin on your bow yesterday when you finished
practicing, there is no reason to add any today. Have your bow
rehaired at least once a year.

If you have a problem
with your instrument, take it to a competent repair person.
Be advised that the vast majority of
music stores do not have a qualified repair person even though
they advertise repairs. Before you entrust your instrument to
anyone, be sure to inquire about his or her qualifications. Be
sure to examine your instrument frequently for any
problems—warped bridge, open seams, cracks, etc. Small problems
do not become big ones unless they are neglected

Instructions
for using humidifiers: Dampits and Humitrons

The indoor relative humidity in Central New York
often falls far below safe levels for string instruments during
the winter months (Nov. to April) The use of a tubular
humidifier greatly reduces the detrimental effects of dryness
(open seams, cracks, low string height, etc.).

Start with cold water. Place the humidifier in
the stream and squeeze water through the holes into the sponge
inside. Remove it from the stream and squeeze out the excess
water. Dry off the outside. Water should not drip from the
humidifier—it should feel like a piece of limp spaghetti.
Over-filled Humitrons and Dampits can cause major water damage
inside your instrument. Provided instructions seldom warn
against this problem.

Place the humidifier in the lower left f-hole. Be
careful of the point on the f-hole when removing the humidifier.
The instrument must be in its case for the humidifier to
function.

The humidifier should be filled every day, since
you are not putting that much water in it in the first place.

If tap water has a high
mineral content you will need to replace the humidifier once a
year. Use of distilled water will greatly increase its life.

Email,
call or write me to order or discuss your needs. You can't order
from my web site--I like to discuss your order with you first.

Many people have
told me how much they enjoy my bringing my ‘store’ of instruments to
workshops so that they can try many different ones over the course of a
few days. This makes their
decision-making process much easier.

Obviously, when
ordering by mail, I can’t send you my whole ‘store’ of instruments
to try, but I do try to come as close as is reasonably possible.
All instruments can be ordered on approval.
I am happy to send out two or more instruments for you to
compare. For instance, I
could send out two or three rosewood altos, or rosewood, pearwood,
grenadilla and boxwood
altos for you to sample. Then
you can play them (please, no more than 15 minutes per day, just as
if you were starting the breaking-in process), let your friends try or
listen to them, and let a teacher try them.
This

gives you some feedback on your choice, and gives you more
confidence in your decision.

I want you to be
satisfied with your instrument, and feel under no obligation to buy it
if you don’t like it. A
normal time for deciding is approximately one week.
I, of course, expect any returned instruments to be in like-new condition
(see below). Whether you decide
to buy an instrument or not, all I ask is that you pay for shipping costs
both ways.

Once you have
decided on a purchase, I will bill you.

Email, call or write me to order or discuss your needs. You can't order
from my web site--I like to discuss your order with you first.

I
had an instrument returned that smelled of cigarette smoke. The customer
did not smoke, but a visitor did. I haven't yet succeeded in removing the
smell. I can't sell a smoky instrument, so I do not want to send instruments
on approval to households where people are allowed to smoke. If a
smoky-smelling (or mildew-smelling) instrument is returned to me, I will not accept it, and you will
have bought it, since it is no longer in like-new condition. In my experience, hardly any recorder players
smoke, so this should be a rare occurrence. So please, no smoke, mildew or
lipstick, and brush your teeth before playing--all things you should do if the
instrument were yours. I hope you
understand this policy.